Knapsack-type life preserver



- Jam 12, 1943. 1.. A. STRAITS ,3

' KNAPSACK-TYPE LIFE PRESERVE'R Filed Aug. 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 20 I o" P2 1 INVENTOR Jan. I 12, 1943.

*L. A; STRAITS KNAPsAcfi-TYPE LIFE PBESERVEK I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledAug. 26, 1941 lNvEN ToR BYL/o ykSfmi/s ATTOE Patented Jan. 12, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE 2,307,810 KNAPSIACK-TYPE LIFE PRESERVER Lloyd A. Straits, United States Navy Application August 26, 1941, Serial No. 408,313 I (Granted under the act of March 8, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a knapsack-type life preserver and has for an object to provide a life preserver which may be carried on the back like a knapsack and may be readily moved to the front of the wearer for use in an emergency.

A further object of this invention is to provide a floatation panel life preserver and means for so securing it to the wearer that the floatation panel is conveniently carried on the back when in inoperative position and may be shifted in an emergency to the front for floatation use, the securing means being such that, in one form, it may be hinged from the back to the front, and in another form may be slid around from the back to the front, or may be rotated over the wearers head from the back to the front, as may be desired.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of one form of the life preserver and body harness ready for attachment to a wearer.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the invention shown in knapsack-carrying position on the back of a wearer.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of the life preserver in operative or floatation position.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of another form of the life preserver of this invention.

Fig. 5 is a view of the life-preserver in knapsack-carrying position; and

Fig, 6 is an elevational view showing the life preserver moved to operative or floatation position.

There is shown at I the life preserver of this invention consisting of a single flotation panel II provided with suitable floatation material such as cellular rubber, kapok, balsa wood, cork or other suitable material. This panel II is hingedly secured as at I2 and I3 to two body straps I4 and I5, the body strap I being provided with a pair of crisscross shoulder straps I8 and I1. At the opposite side from the hinges I2 and I3 the panel I I is provided with a handle I1 and snap fasteners 28 for detachably holding the panel II against the body straps I4 and I5. Also secured along this edge are small loop straps 2| provided with snap buckles 22 and cooperating snap rings 23. Each of the body straps I4 and I5 are provided with snap buckles 24 at one end and snap rings 25 at their opposite ends.

In operation, the life preserver is mounted on the wearer by passing the straps I6 and I! over the head and shoulders of the wearer with floatation panel I I across his back and the body straps I4 and I5 are fastened by means of snap buckles 24 and snap rings 25, thus holding the floatation panel II in a knapsack position across the back of the wearer. When needed for use, the wearer merely grasps the handle I8 and pulls it, causing the panel I I to separate the snap fasteners 28 and to hinge about the hinge fastening I2 and I3 to the front of the wearer, as shown in Fig. 3. The loop straps 2| are then passed under the body straps I4 and I5 and the snap buckles 22 are secured to the snap rings 23, thus holding the panel I I in form position across the front of the wearer, ready for floatation service.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the body straps I4 and I5 are secured to the panel II and are provided with the same fastening means consisting of snap buckles 24 and snap rings 25'. In this case, however, individual shoulder straps 26 are provided, each of them having snap buckles 21, while the panel I I is provided with suitably located snap rings 28.

In operation, the floatation panel I I is secured across the back of the wearer by means of the body straps I4 and I5 and the shoulder straps I 25 snapped thereto.

When it is desired to shift the floatation panel II from the carrying position shown in Fig. 5

to the floatation position shown in Fig. 6, either of two methods may be used. In one method, the buckles 24 and 25' are unsnapped, permitting the panel I I to be lifted over the head and down to the front, with the shoulder straps 26 rotating about the shoulders as this is done. In the other method, the snap fastening means 24 and 25' is untouched and instead the snaps 21 are detached from the snap rings 28. Then, grasping either handle I8 the panel I I is rotated about the body to bring it to the front position shown in Fig. 6;.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A knapsack-type life preserver comprising a floatation panel and a body harness consisting of shoulder straps, a chest strap and a waist strap,

and means securing said floatation panel to said body harness across the wearers back while in inoperative position, said means permitting ready shifting of said floatation panel to the front of the wearer to operative position, said means comprising hinged means along one edge of said floatation panel secured to said chest and Waist straps,

and detachable means along the other edge of fastening means between said floatation panel and said chest and waist straps, whereby said floatation panel may be temporarily detached from said chest and waist straps, rotated from the back to the front of the wearer and then be re-attached to said chest and waist straps.

3. In a knapsack-type life preserver comprising a floatation panel and a body harness consisting of shoulder straps, a chest strap and a waist strap, chest and waist straps, means securing said floatation panel to said body harness across the wearer's back while in inoperative position, said means permitting ready shifting of said floatation panel to the front of the wearer to operative position, said chest and waist straps being detachably securable about the wearer, shoulder straps secured to said floatation panel, said chest and waist straps being temporarily releasable to permit said panel to be rotated from the back of the wearer, over the head, and to the front of the wearer and held in front position by re-attached chest and waist straps.

LLOYD A. STRAITS. 

